Research Student Project
Supervisor name & contact details:
Research Centre Name and Website (if
applicable)
Dr Patrice Behan
Dr John Keegan
School of Chemical &
Pharmaceutical
Sciences
patrice.behan@dit.ie
Public Analyst’s
Laboratory, Dublin 2
john.keegan@hse.ie
Environmental Sustainability and Health
Institute (ESHI)
http://www.dit.ie/eshi/
Please indicate if the intention is to transfer
from the Masters programme to the PhD
programme (if applicable)
Yes
Please indicate if the project is suitable for a
self-funded student
No
Funding Agency
DIT Fiosraigh Scholarship Programme
Scholarship Details
Student Stipend: €16,000 per annum for 4
years
Project Expenses: €2,000 per annum for 4 years
Registration fees: covered for 4 years
Subject Area
Analytical Chemistry
Title of the Project
Development of Multianalyte Analytical
Methods for use in the Analysis of Food
Contact Materials
Project Description (max 300 words)
A food contact material (FCM) is any material that is in contact with food or can reasonably be
expected to come into contact with food including packaging materials, cutlery, dishes,
containers, processing machinery, cutting boards, etc. All FCMs can potentially contaminate food
by migration of substances (e.g. residues of processing, chemicals, impurities etc.) from the FCM
into foodstuff, potentially causing health alerts and expensive food recalls.
The EU has set limits for over 960 FCM substances to regulate against unsafe levels of
contamination. However, there is a lack of validated analytical methods for use by official control
laboratories for the detection of FCM substances, and hence the enforcement of this legislation.
This project aims to:
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Investigate the use of simulants to determine the components migrating from a variety of
FCMs, such as plastics rubber and printing inks into the food itself.
Analytical methods:
o Combine all photoinitiators, their synergists (as used in printing inks) and
phthalates (used as plasticisers in the manufacture of plastic containers for
packaging foods ) into one multi-analyte analytical method using GC-MS or UPLCMS/MS
o Develop analytical methods for resins in food cans and investigate their migration
from the tins into the food itself.
o Develop analytical methods to investigate the potential migration of oligomers
from food packaging into the packaged food.
Develop sample preparation procedures for the extraction and purification of the FCMs
from the packaging materials and from the packaged food.
Validate the methods in accordance with EU criteria.
Complete a comprehensive national survey to determine the levels of contamination
from FCM substances in Ireland and thus the potential risk to consumers.
The outcome of this project will be a number of validated multi-analyte methods used in a
national survey which will provide baseline information on the exposure of consumers to harmful
FCM substances.
Please indicate the student requirements for this project
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BSc 2.1 honours or higher in chemistry, analytical chemistry or related subject (with
analytical chemistry as a major course component)
The successful candidate will be highly skilled and motivated with the ability to work
independently and as part of a team.
The successful candidate will have hands on experience in modern chromatographic
techniques, such as HPLC, LC-MS/MS and GC-MS.
The successful candidate will have appropriate report writing skills and possess computer
literacy (Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint).
The successful candidate will work between the Public Analysts Laboratory, Dublin 2 and
the DIT Environmental Sustainability & Health Institute (ESHI) in Grangegorman, Dublin 7.
This position will also entail working in an INAB accredited environment and other duties
appropriate to the position.
Deadline to submit applications (only for
funded projects)
27th March 2015